


horrible Axel

by Junnieevee



Category: Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types, Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: #KHGihbliFest, A lot - Freeform, Axel Is A Little Shit, Axel is Howl, I just wanted a Sea Salt fam fic, I love that tag, M/M, Roxas Is So Done (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas Swears (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas is Sophie, Saïx is calcifer, The Witch - Freeform, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Xehanort is, Xion is Mark, Xion is so pure, Xion is so sweet pls save my child, and i like akuroku, don't ask why, hehe, soriku mentioned, that's basically why the rating is t, why no one told me about this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:08:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Junnieevee/pseuds/Junnieevee
Summary: If someone had told Roxas some months ago that he would be taking breakfast in nothing less than freaking Axel’s Moving Castle with a little girl, a talking blue fire demon, the King’s dog and a scarecrow with a turnip for head while feeding a harmless version of the Sorcerer of The Waste, that someone is likely to be his older twin Sora, and Roxas would have rolled his eyes to another of his made-up crazy stories.orthe Howl's Moving Castle Akuroku AU i didn't know i needed until this morning. For the #KHGihbliFest.
Relationships: Axel & Saïx (Kingdom Hearts), Axel/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Sea Salt Family basically, mentioned
Kudos: 17





	horrible Axel

**Author's Note:**

> So, I just saw the KHGihbliFest on Twitter yesterday morning. Got very excited honestly, and I kinda liked how this went. Maybe I'll do a second part, maybe not.
> 
> I changed some things as well, like, Roxas is Sophie right? Only that he doesn't only gets older, but younger as well. I'm a sucker for baby characters so pls don't ask. I made this while watching the movie btw.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

If someone had told Roxas some months ago that he would be taking breakfast in nothing less than freaking Axel’s Moving Castle with a little girl, a talking blue fire demon, the King’s dog and a scarecrow with a turnip for head while feeding a harmless version of the Sorcerer of The Waste, that someone is likely to be his older twin Sora, and Roxas would have rolled his eyes to another of his made-up crazy stories.

Roxas sighed. “Open wide Xehanort”

Lord Xehanort, better known as the Sorcerer of The Waste, used to be a powerful man. Like, three days ago he could still summon his magic and curse people just as good old Xehanort always did, spreading fear and dread anywhere he went, but today he was only a sweet old man that needed help to eat.

And honestly, Roxas didn’t even mind anymore.

It was funny, and yes, Roxas had a very weird sense of humor for saying that, but up to this point, to be feeding the man who cursed him was the last of his problems right now. Before all this mess things were simpler, Roxas only had to wake up, open the shop, work in the shop with Sora, close the shop, and go to sleep. He still remembers that fateful night though, Sora went out with Riku for a date (another funny thing, he was more upset for his cute, naive brother falling for that guy than his current situation) and left him alone to close the shop. Xehanort came in, said some things he didn’t understand, cursed him, and left, just like that.

The next morning he woke up feeling really tired,  _ like an old man _ , he told himself in his thoughts and cursed loudly when he got to see his reflected image in the mirror.

Since then life has been a roller coaster. One day he was a cranky seventy-year-old man, and the next he got back to puberty. The day he woke up as a toddler Xion couldn’t stop herself and spent all day treating him like a baby (she still kept the onesies on her drawer in case the curse made its work again), and Saïx didn’t waste the opportunity to make fun of him.

_ “Children shouldn’t play with fire” _

_ “Shut the fuck up, asshole” _

_ “Oh my, what a potty mouth do you have” _

But even if his life at the moving castle wasn’t exactly… easy, Roxas surprised himself not missing his home as he did before. He  _ did  _ miss Sora, terribly, and he was sure Sora missed him as well with the same intensity, but hopefully, his brother would marry Riku soon (he admitted, with painful resignation), and wouldn’t feel so lonely at the shop, because he was never going back to that life. However, a visit every once in a while did no harm to anyone.

Today Roxas woke up with the body of a teenager and the mind of the twenty-two years old adult he really was. He raised a brow at the mirror, not impressed at all.

And sighed.

_ “Not this shit again” _

And he wasn’t talking about the curse anymore. What was so wonderful about adolescence, anyway? Roxas just hoped his physical changes did not affect his brain, and if they do, well… 

Xion and Saïx would have to worry about two young adults living in the castle and acting like dramatic teenagers instead of just one.

“Don’t feed him, that’s the Sorcerer of the West!” 

Roxas got out of his thoughts as Saïx scolded him. The blue fire demon glared at Xehanort, who kept staring back at him after having a bite of porridge, openly curious.

“He’s alright Saïx, shut up” he sighed, preparing another spoon for the old man.

“He keeps staring at me, he’s freaking me out” the demon growled under his breath.

“What a pretty fire,” said Xehanort with a sweet voice. It was weird for Roxas too at first, but what was he supposed to do? Leave him alone? Hell no, Roxas was a lot of things, but not an abandoner of the elderly. 

Only monsters and assholes abandoned the elderly, and Roxas was none of those things. Or at least, not a monster at all.

And well, Saïx was a demon, so it counted as a monster?

Yeah, he wasn’t going to question magical things again, thank you very much.

“Good morning everyone!” thankfully, Saïx couldn’t complain further as Axel came down from the stairs with a big grin on his face.

“‘Morning Ax...el…”

Roxas blinked up at the man’s new appearance after giving Xehanort another bite, genuinely surprised after such a long time living there.

Today he looked… good, honestly. 

The first time they met Axel had long, blonde hair and wore some fancy wizard robes, then when he accidentally changed the place of the wizard’s potions in the bathroom while cleaning, his hair became a pale shade of orange that didn’t suit him at all. Today it wasn’t anything like he had seen before. Sure, blonde and raven black looked nice on him, but red? It was… natural, like he was born with it, and damn, has Axel always had such bright green eyes? 

“I can see you drooling from here,” said Saïx from his place in the fireplace. Roxas shut his mouth with a tiny snap of his teeth, blushing slightly at the demon’s amused look.

“Axel! Can we keep the dog?” Roxas almost sighed in relief when Xion distracted Axel, and hopefully, the guy didn’t notice his embarrassing behavior. He felt like…

Damn.

He felt like a flustered  _ teenager _ .

He glared at Xehanort without any real venom, but thinking  _ ‘this is all your fault, old man’ _ .

“He’s very cute!” said Xion, with porridge all over her face. Roxas smiled sweetly at the sight. Sitting on a chair by her side like it was a human, was King Mickey’s not so loyal dog, happily panting and devouring the portion Roxas gave him earlier.

“Lord Xehanort and the King’s dog taking breakfast at my table?” he smiled charmingly, and Roxas couldn’t tell if his voice was sarcastic or truly sincere. Whatever it was, he felt a tickling warm sensation pooling on his chest at the sight of Axel smiling directly at him, before taking his emerald green gaze towards Saïx “How could you let them get inside the castle, O great Saïx blue demon of fire?”

“I didn’t let them in!” he huffed, offended “Roxas here is the one doing charity”

“Again, I’m not abandoning a helpless old man if I can help it,” said the boy “And it’s not my fault Pluto liked us more than he likes the King”

Xion giggled behind one hand, patting the dog’s head with the other, and Axel laughed heartily. Roxas rolled his eyes, trying to not smile but failing miserably. The now redhead walked towards the huge hole in the wall, caused by yesterday’s little accident after escaping from King Mickey’s own castle, finding Turnip Head outside.

“You are under a nasty curse too, right My Lady?” he crossed his arms over his chest “It seems like this family has a lot of problems”

Roxas rolled his eyes again, refusing to admit that the fact of Turnip Head being a girl surprised him. Just when he thought he was getting used to Axel’s eccentricities... 

“Well!” Axel clapped his hands “Get ready everyone! Today is going to be a busy day, we’re moving!”

“Moving?” asked the blonde. 

“Yay!” Xion cheered “I was getting bored being here” she admitted, smiling brightly.

“C’mon Roxy, help me out,” said Axel, and Roxas frowned “You seem to be young enough to carry some things today”

“Like that’s encouraging at all” he scoffed. “And don’t call me like that”

“Aw, don’t be so boring” the redhead chuckled, taking some kind of cart from Saïx’s fireplace’s side. “Are you a moody teenager now?”

Roxas’ frown deepened, and with the last spoon he finished feeding Xehanort. He got up, arms crossed, and trying to look intimidating while glaring up at Axel, who only kept an amused face for him.

“Despite my looks, I’m a grown-up man, thank you very much”

“Oh, don’t be dramatic Roxy”

The blonde scrunched up his nose and his posture went rigid, pressing his lips together, blue eyes burning like Saïx’s flames.

“Like you are one to talk” he growled.

“Oh Gods, you’re so cute!” the wizard suddenly exclaimed, taking Roxas from the floor to his arms, spinning around as he laughed and Roxas shouted profanities.

“Xion, cover your ears,” said Saïx to the little girl.

“Saïx, what does it mean dip-?”

“Cover your ears and I’ll convince Axel of letting you have a kitten”

Xion smiled and nodded eagerly, covering his ears as Roxas kept struggling against Axel’s arms. Even if it was clear for Saïx, he knew the blonde would never admit he liked the sudden (and barely conventional) hug.

“What a nice couple” he shivered at Xehanort’s raspy voice right by his side, only that this time his golden eyes weren’t fixed on him, but right over the wizard and his cursed friend.

He wished the old man just had senile dementia or something, he could live with an annoying, creepy old man, but not with Lord Xehanort Sorcerer of the Waste.

* * *

Moving was… a pretty amazing experience. Usually, moving meant getting furniture out from your old house to your new house, but of course, Axel had a very different idea of it. They drew weird symbols on the floor outside the castle with the cart, which was filled with salt, and a smaller version of it inside with a tiny piece of chalk. Roxas, Xion, Xehanort, and Pluto took a seat over a table, just as Axel ordered, but Turnip Head had to wait outside.

Axel stood right over the chalk drawing, with Saïx in front of him carrying him with the ash scoop. The demon grew in size, burning red with a scary face. Xion cheered as the room began to change; the hole in the wall closed up and in its place, was now a window, things creaked and shifted, doors changed places, furniture appeared from nowhere and there was even a new bathroom. The room was bigger too, the table they sat on used to be placed against the wall, and now was right in the middle. Roxas let his moody teenager pride behind as he looked around with big blue eyes, filled with amazement. 

“It’s amazing Axel!” said Xion, wasting no time to run around along with the dog.

Roxas got up as well, looking around until he saw something familiar outside the window.

It was a big tower clock.

This was Twilight Town. Home.

He spun around to see Axel grinning proudly behind him. “But this is… Axel, what…?” he whispered, eyes wide.

“I added another bathroom” he interrupted with a smile “You know since our little family is not as little anymore”

Roxas gulped and blushed slightly, staring at the bathroom’s door. _ ‘Our… family? _ ’. Axel walked away, calling for him. “Come here Rox, I added another bedroom, too”

Axel opened another door, and Roxas couldn't stop the gasp getting out from his mouth at the sight of this new room.

“Axel this is my… this is my bedroom…”

“Do you like it?”

Roxas didn’t know if he knew this was his actual bedroom (and possibly his entire actual house), or if the wizard only picked this place randomly. He was sure that Axel didn’t move to occupied houses, so this meant that Sora was no longer here. 

He felt relieved, that meant Riku was taking care of him now.

“It’s… perfect…” he breathed slowly.

“Great, I got you new clothes too. But you can see them later, let’s go see the rest”

Roxas felt disconnected from his reality for a bit, he already knew this place. The shop wasn’t here either, but at least Xion seemed to like the courtyard in the middle of the building more than he ever did. Axel took him to the principal door, his smile had something else on it then.

“There’s a new door” he announced, twisting the knob of the dial to change its color. “This… is a present for you”

Roxas blinked dumbly at his declaration and walked to him to get out of the house. As soon as he took a step out he could feel the light breeze against his face, it smelled like grass and flowers, and that’s almost everything he could see there. It was like a green sea with tiny dots of different colors everywhere, and he could spot a beautiful lake of crystal clear water not far from there. He looked back at the entrance, finding not the immense castle he was used to, but a tiny and forgotten brick building. 

Lazy big, fluffy clouds traveled impossibly down, almost touching the floor and reflecting themselves on the water. Axel offered him his hand, and Roxas grabbed it without noticing, intertwining their fingers.

“I was born in Radiant Garden,” he said suddenly, and this had to be a day full of surprises because Axel rarely talked about himself or his past. “But I’m sure you know what happened to that place”

“I only know that the war began there,” he answered. “Now the remnants of it are called Hollow Bastion”

Axel nodded, and with his free hand pointed at something in the distance. “Hollow Bastion is over there” he explained. “And this is my secret garden. I came here when I was little to spend time by myself”

“You… did all of this with your magic?” 

“Only a little, mostly the flowers” he shrugged.

“Wait” Roxas stopped. “By yourself… you were alone?” he asked with a pinched frown.

“It’s so cute when you worry for me,” Axel teased, but Roxas couldn't manage to get annoyed on this place by the wizard’s usual teasing. “I was fine. My grandma was a witch, she wanted me to follow her steps so she gave me this land to practice my magic. Do you like it?”

Roxas allowed himself to smile then, and nodded shyly, gaze never leaving Axel’s eyes.

“It’s… beautiful. Like a dream” he whispered, but Axel heard anyway since there was nothing more than the birds chirping and the water running around them. “I feel… this is…”

“Yeah?”

“Have I… been here before…?” he said hesitantly, and shook his head “I-I know is stupid, I don’t remember being here before but…”

The smell, the colors, the  _ feelings _ …

“But?” Axel asked eagerly.

“It feels like home”

He seemed pleased by his choice of words, as he laughed freely and pulled his hand to make him follow.

“You can come here whenever you want, this is yours now” he began as he pointed towards a cozy cottage at the distance, but Roxas gulped warily. “With all these flowers you can open a flower shop, you mentioned a twin brother, he can be here too if you want”

“Wait, Axel, what…?”

“And Xion will be very happy here, running around and practicing magic like when I was young” he ignored him, and seemed about to keep talking when Roxas released his hand, stopping him immediately. Axel looked at him surprised. “Is something the matter?”

“Axel why…” Roxas bit his lower lip, caressing the hand that was wrapped around Axel’s nervously “Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye?”

Axel didn’t smile reassuringly like he hoped he would. Instead, he walked to his side again, sighing deeply.

“I’m just making sure you all live a comfortable life”

“I don’t care what you are fighting against with,” Roxas said then, snapping and failing to notice he was getting smaller and smaller with every word that came out of his mouth. “Sometimes you’re insufferable and dumb and you make me so mad, but…” his eyes shone with barely unspilled tears, staring up at Axel who looked at him worriedly “You don’t have to do it alone!”

And then the tears fell, and Roxas almost cursed when he finally realized he turned into a child again. “Oh c’mon, not this crap again…” he sobbed, trying to get upset over his curse more than the fact of Axel leaving him alone forever. 

The wizard sat down and hugged the blonde by his shoulders, just about to say something when they heard a familiar yet unwelcomed sound at the distance. Axel got up, carrying Roxas on his arms, his clothes too big for him now.

At the distance, they saw an airship, a war airship, and Axel frowned, something Roxas didn’t see so often in his face.

“What is it doing here?” the redhead growled.

Roxas suddenly shuddered, as another ship flew over their heads. He hated this, being so helpless and little, tiny hands gripping Axel’s shirt. He preferred being a child over a teenager any other day because emotions were simpler for kids, but that also meant that hiding his fear was also harder, having no way to control the need to hug Axel closer. Thankfully, the wizard didn’t mind.

“Is it one of ours? Or the enemy’s?”

“Does it matter? They kill and destroy everything they see anyway” suddenly Axel smiled, a naughty smile only a child and an immature young adult could make “Let’s mess with them a little”

“What?”

Axel raised his hand, waving it from side to side in a single, smooth motion before the battleship began falling. Warning alarms echoed all over the gorgeous valley, as the tribulation shouted and screamed orders.

“Oops, time to go,” Axel said, and Roxas forgot everything about the ship when he saw his arm.

“Axel your- your arm!” 

It had crimson red feathers sprouting out of his skin, and his childish mind wondered if that hurt. He couldn’t say anything more before Axel began running, majestic red wings appeared on his back, and soon the both of them were flying. Axel held both of his arms with his hands, while Roxas ran over thin air.

“Let me ride you, jackass! I’m gonna slip!” he screamed, voice young and high-pitched.

“While I would agree to that any other day,” the wizard chuckled with a teasing tone “I’m afraid this is not the time, Roxy. Besides, I’m sure it pretty illegal on your current state”

“I fucking hate you! You damn jerk!”

“Haha! Keep running Roxy! They’re gonna catch us!”

“Shut uuuup!”

When the tiny brick building came to sight Roxas felt Axel’s grip lessening on his arms, and panicked looked up at him.

“If you drop me I’m dying your stupid hair green”

“Cool, just let it be a shade that favors my eyes”

“DON’T YOU DARE!” 

“I’ll be home soon!” and just like that he was free, Roxas kept running while screaming, descending slower than he thought he would as the door opened before him.

“Axel you absolute idiot!!” was the last the wizard heard from the little blonde, as the door slammed behind him.

Inside the castle, Xion and Pluto looked at him lying on the floor, obviously surprised as toddler Roxas shouted. “I’m too little to be dropped from the fucking sky!” with his shirt dropping off his shoulder and a pout. 

Xion squealed, excited as she disappeared from the room. “I’ll bring your onesies!”

Roxas groaned. Maybe he missed his old life, a little bit.

  
  



End file.
